Biography

Cynthia Rowland is a business and tax lawyer who helps philanthropists, including private individuals as well as for-profit and non-profit organizations, who wish to make the world a better place.

As a business attorney and strategist, she helps her clients achieve personal, family, business, charitable, philanthropic, and community objectives. Cynthia’s expertise in this regard is broad, and includes entity formation, business transactions and grant agreements, regulatory compliance matters, partnerships and joint ventures, and mergers and dissolutions. In short, she’s well-attuned to the legal needs of philanthropic families, all forms of nonprofit organizations, and business enterprises with a corporate social responsibility directive.

She also advises trustees and directors of charitable organizations on fiduciary and tax issues, including those raised by actual and potential conflicts of interest, regulatory investigations and audits, debt financing of capital projects, including tax exempt bonds, as well as issues raised by settlement of complex litigation involving the fiduciaries and charitable organizations.

Cynthia has a particular expertise in the legal and tax issues of corporate philanthropy—business enterprises using philanthropy to benefit their communities, push the boundaries of emerging science and technology not yet adequately funded by private capital, and other emerging approaches the betterment of the planet and its inhabitants. Her clients seek her advice when pursuing charitable co-ventures, fundraising, formation of corporate foundations, and other types of social benefit corporations and entities.

Her approach to her practice combines depth of experience and extensive technical expertise with an openness to innovation. By integrating traditional, proven approaches with new, effective ideas and structures, Cynthia provides wise counsel to clients who are seeking to accomplish charitable objectives in a complex, ever-changing world.

Distinctions

  • Best Lawyers in America, Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law (2021-2024)
  • Northern California Super Lawyers, Nonprofit Organizations (2014-2023)
  • The Legal 500 United States, Recommended - Not-for-Profit (2016-2021)
  • 2015 Annual List of Rainmakers, Minority Corporate Counsel Association
  • 2015 San Francisco Lawyer of the Year - Non-Profit/Charities Law
  • 2011 Outstanding Attorney of the Year Award, American Bar Association's Business Law Section Nonprofit Organizations Committee

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Member, Advisory Committee, Walt Disney Family Museum
  • Former Chair, Committee on Nonprofit Corporations, American Bar Association's Business Law Section (2005-2008)

Firm Highlights

Publication

An Introduction to DAFs and Overview of the Newly Proposed DAF Regulations

Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource. I’m Cynthia Rowland, and episode 62 describes new proposed regulations important to the administration of donor advised funds. The Internal Revenue Service and the...

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Publication

Nonprofit Quick Tip: State Filings in Maine and Vermont

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource. I'm Cynthia Rowland, and episode 59 is the seventh in a series of Quick Tip episodes focusing on the details of state registration of...

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Publication

Refresh: Setting up a New Charity for Disaster Relief

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource.  I'm Cynthia Rowland, and this is episode 60 of EO Radio Show . This week's episode is a refresh of episode 10, first recorded...

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Publication

What Nonprofit Leaders Need To Know About the Corporate Transparency Act

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource. I'm Cynthia Rowland, and today on EO Radio Show , we are discussing a new law that will have implications for many nonprofit organizations...

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Publication

In the Weeds With New Supporting Organization Regulations

Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . I'm Cynthia Rowland, and today’s episode discusses highly technical Supporting Organization rules for public charity qualifications for charitable organizations. Last year, episodes 23 and...

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News

Farella Lawyers Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 Edition

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Publication

New Proposed Regulations Defining Donor Advised Fund Terms

Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Episode 63 explores new proposed regulations important to the administration of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department...

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News

Farella Braun + Martel Attorneys Named to 2023 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Thirty-eight Farella Braun + Martel lawyers were named to the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists of top attorneys in Northern California for 2023. 2023 Farella Northern California Super Lawyers: Carly Alameda – Business...

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Publication

It Wasn’t Me, It Was the AI: Intellectual Property and Data Privacy Concerns With Nonprofits’ Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems

In today's rapidly changing technological landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is making headlines and being discussed constantly. To be sure, AI provides a powerful tool to nonprofits in creating content and exploiting for countless cost-effective...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: What Nonprofits Need To Know About Expenditure Responsibility Grant Requirements

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Today, I'm talking about the meaning of expenditure responsibility or ER grants made by private foundations. The term expenditure responsibility refers to the...

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